New Pak Government receiving all possible assistance from US

Published: Saturday, April 19, 2008, 16:25 [IST]

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Washington, Apr 19 : The new Pakistani Government is receiving all possible help from the Bush Administration, and the US Congress is doing its every bit to bring peace to the restive tribal areas of that country, according to a media report.

The US is also removing irritants that may have crept into the Pakistan-US bilateral relationship.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Senator Joseph Biden's plan for the economic development of the Pakistani tribal areas bordering Afghanistan "has been on the anvil for some months now and could form the blueprint for a renewed effort to revitalise efforts to effectively fight terrorism and extremism," the Daily Times said in its report.

Earlier, Biden had described Pakistan's co-operation in the terrorism war as "critical to success in Afghanistan".

Biden wants to increase the non-military assistance to Pakistan three times, sustain it for a decade and focus it on schools, roads and clinics.

He believes that the US should pay for costs genuinely incurred in fighting the Taliban, al Qaeda and their affiliates, but it should not let the reimbursement "continue to be an unaccountable slush-fund".

He, however, maintains that military in Pakistan is designed to fight a conventional war with India, not to conduct counter-insurgency operations in the tribal areas.

"If Afghanistan fails or Pakistan falls prey to fundamentalism, both countries will pay a heavy price. And America will suffer a terrible strategic setback. I believe it is still within our power to shape a different, better future," Biden has said.